I watched the twin suns of Apollo rise majestically above the burning horizon; creating turbulent golden flares that lit up the barren terrain of Andromeda Four; followed by showers of fiery rain that pounded against the craggy rocks and cremated the landscape.I watched the eerie glow in the ice caverns of Narnia: frosty hydrogen stalagmites stretching upward to their stalactite partners in a surreal embrace; liquid helium dripping into clear rippling pools.I watched a cluster of twinkling turquoise stars from the Evangelical galaxy; glistening against the harsh night sky, become greedily swallowed by the devil’s black hole.I watched the sea green rings of Saturnus twirl like a ballerina’s tutu; silky, shimmering softness, that captured my soul.But I couldn’t watch my precious Angelica hug the lop-eared bunny that Santa mailed from Terminal Nine - with all my love, from Daddy.Maybe I could, next Christmas…

‘Do you want to know my secret?I have a loving wife, two young children, and I go to church every Sunday. Except my job, the one that funds my lifestyle, is different.I kill people.It’s what I do when I meet my targets. I call them targets, but really they’re victims. The last hit - wheels within wheels. Physco Inc. contracted me to carry out the standard ‘hit & run’ accident. I don’t ask why.Perhaps I should.I’m not evil; my childhood was normal apart from feeding flies into a spider’s web. My teenage years passed without event, except my best mate, Terry, drowned in suspicious circumstances.Shame I couldn’t rescue him.Then I met Louise. She’s not my current wife, because Louise had an accident while high on amphetamines.She never took drugs, I told the police.Physco Inc. is owned by a ‘friend of a friend’. I had a reputation in town of being way-out, but it was unfounded. I’m as normal as the next guy. I guess I made an impact at my initial interview. There were three of us, initially. We were each given guns loaded with two bullets. Russian roulette. Except I found a better solution.I graduated.Tragic accident, I told the police.Physco Inc. demanded I took a wife, became respectable. Okay, I could do that. Sadie, a hippie with body tattoos was my choice, and our two kids, Manson and Selena, were conceived. See, I am normal.Now here I am with Samantha. I told her not to panic. I like her.Her eyes widen as I screw a silencer onto my gun. Well we don’t want to disturb her neighbours, do we? Sorry I had to tie her up and gag her mouth, but it’s a whole lot simpler, I’ve found.She seems to be wondering why I chose her. Well, it beats working in a factory. Ah, I understand. To be honest, I’m not told why. Samantha’s attractive enough. Maybe she mounted a member of parliament, and threatened to ‘kiss and tell’.She’s shaking her head at me and making mewing noises. Her perfume smells off. Oh dear, now she’s made a mess on the sheet. Additional cleaning costs that Physco Inc. will need to pay.Would she prefer I use her pillow? This one has a teddy bear on the cover. Some do, you know. I don’t know why. A bullet is far quicker. She only has to nod. Gun ... or pillow?Hey, now she’s crying. Tears affect me. My kids don’t want to see a sad Dad when I get back. My choice then. Eenny meeney miney mo ... gun or pillow, here we go...’

Prauew has suffered from a bad knee for years. It doesn’t stop her walking or riding a motor bike – it’s just like a nagging toothache.So she goes and visits the Forest Monk in his lair, by the beach – with breakfast goodies. His lair is next to a tomb – a very wealthy Chinese guy died recently. When he surfaces from his meditation, he lights a candle and drips melting wax on her knee, at the same time he recants a prayer.Very mystic.Lo and behold, it is a miracle. The knee is cured; everyone is ecstatic.Now I can see that maybe there’s a monetary angle here, you know, like a tourist visit to the equivalent of a candle light Lourdes, or something.With commission.Any contribution will go towards building a temple in the monk’s home town, some 1,200 kilometres away.

Author

Bio: British age 74 (young) retired and living in Thailand. Profession, Charity Auditor working in some 40 countries over the last ten years before retiring. Familiar with writing reports to professional standard. Sense of humour, reserved, realist and down to earth. Enjoy writing with a passion for the unusual.Genre: Fiction crime Email: stephenterry747@hotmail.comPhone: 0066823250835 Thailand